Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport (2006 and 2007)

This report summarises people's attitudes in the UK towards climate change in relation to transport, and to what extent attitudes have changed overtime. It also examines how attitudes towards climate change vary across socio-demographic groups and according to travel behaviour. Three surveys were undertaken in August 2006 and April and August 2007. In all three surveys around 80% of adults were very or fairly concerned about climate change. Climate change had increased it ranking among the top three public policy issues. The vast majority of adults believed that the global and UK climate was being affected. Groups with low levels of knowledge included young people between 16 and 24, people without educational qualifications, those on low incomes and those living in the most deprived areas. About 60% of adults considered that climate change would have little or no effect on them personally but 90% thought future generations would be affected. The majority of the public believe that transport emissions contribute to climate change, particularly air transport. The public were most likely to trust independent scientists to provide accurate information about climate change. Three-quarters of respondents were likely to consider changing theirbehaviour in some way to help limit climate change such as reducing theircar use. However only around 5% of car users said that they had reduced their car use in the preceding year. Support was far higher for improved public transport than for measures that would increase the cost of car travel. Around 45% of adults in each survey believed that air travel should be limited for the sake of the environment although this was true of only a third of people who travelled by aeroplane more than twice a year. About one in ten people intended to reduce the number of flights they took. Arounda quarter of adults supported increasing the cost of air travel to help reduce transport emissions.

• Corporate Authors:

  Department for Transport, England

  Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street
  London,   England  SW1P 4DR
• Publication Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 24p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air transportation; Attitudes; Automobiles; Behavior; Climate; Education; Greenhouse effect; Planning; Policy; Sociology; Sustainable development; Transportation; Travel
• Uncontrolled Terms: Use
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 1126: Air transport; 2267: Attitude (psychol); 9001: Behaviour; 1243: Car; 2284: Education; 2451: Greenhouse effect; 698: Journey; 143: Planning; 173: Policy; 2253: Sociology; 2427: Sustainability; 1155: Transport; 8119: United Kingdom; 9084: Use; 2545: Weather
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Transportation (General); I15: Environment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01091040
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: TRL
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Mar 31 2008 8:04AM